CHICAGO - Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center, located on Chicago's South Side, will pay $80,000 to settle a class race, sex discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In its lawsuit, the EEOC charged that Jackson Park Hospital subjected a class of black female employees to segregation in job assignments because of their race. The suit also alleged that at least one of the women was demoted in retaliation for opposing and complaining about unlawful employment practices. The lawsuit was assigned to Judge Milton Shadur of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and captioned EEOC v. Jackson Park Hospital and Medical Center, 11 C 4743.

In addition to requiring that Jackson Park pay monetary relief to 11 victims, the two-year consent decree resolving the case enjoins Jackson Park from engaging in further race and/or sex discrimination or retaliation. The consent decree also requires that Jackson Park provide training to all employees, including supervisory employees, in its Cardiopulmonary Department; that Jackson Park submit periodic reports to EEOC about any complaints of sex and/or race discrimination or retaliation; and that Jackson Part post a notice at various locations within its facility regarding the outcome of this lawsuit.

"We think that this is a good outcome for everyone involved," said EEOC Trial Attorney June Wallace Calhoun. "We are especially glad that Jackson Park was very cooperative in resolving this matter quickly without need of costly litigation."

The EEOC's Chicago District Office is responsible for processing discrimination charges, administrative enforcement, and the conduct of agency litigation in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota, with Area Offices in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. Further information about the Commission is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.